Tights for bicyclists



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. W. DUNNING; TIGHTS FOR BIOYGLISTS, m.

Patented Ar. 7.

ANDRCWVVEZGRAHAM. FNOTO-UTHQWASMINGTON.D C

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A; W. DUNNING.

TIGHTS FOR'BIGYGLISTS, 8:0. $10,557,563. Patented Apr. 7, 1896.

'wlllla 5 5 E E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS V. DUNNING, OF VEST ORANGE, NEl/V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ONEITA KNITTING MILLS, OF UTIOA, NEWV YORK.

TIGHTS FOR BICYCLISTS, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,563, dated April 7, 1896.

Application filed September 26, 1895. Serial No. 563,687. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS W. DUN- NING, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVest Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tights for Bicyclists and Equestrians, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the production of drawers or tights for bicyclists and equestrians which shall be suitably protected from wear at the crotch, seat, and the adjacent inner parts of the legs without distortion of the garment or weakening it in any part and without introducing any element of discomfort to the wearer.

Primarily my invention consists in a onepiece vertically-ribbed knitted gusset of extra-heavy yarn so patterned as to fit the crotch, the adjacent inner parts of the legs and seat, and thoroughly protect all parts of the garment which are subjected to wear by the friction of the leg or seat upon the saddle by bringing the ribs of the gusset in line with the garment at the back portion thereof and the ribs of the gusset diagonal to the garment at the front portion thereof. It has heretofore been proposed to add a strengtheningpiece or reinforce of two or more parts to protect these parts of the garment, and the result has been the production of a clumsy garment and one having seams liable to part and continually chafing the wearer. It has also been suggested that a knit gusset be inserted in knit riding tights or drawers; but

prior to my designing of the peculiar-shaped pattern herein described it has never been possible to make such a gusset of one piece, avoiding all seams in the parts of the gusset which are subjected to wear by the pressure or the bearing of the person of the wearer upon the saddle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure I is a front and Fig. II a rear elevation of my improved riding-tights for men. The lower ends of the legs are in both figures broken away. Fig. III is a front View of the form of the invention for womens tights. Fig. IV is a plan of the gusset or the pattern thereof.

The main body 1 of the tights whether for men or women is knit from top to bottom in one piece of the yarn customarily employed on such garments. This body is then cut awayboth at front and rear in the crotch and inner parts of the legs and in the seat, and in this place is sewed a gusset 2, knit of eX- tra-heavy yarn. This gusset is all in one piece, and is knit in the shape of the pattern shown in Fig. IV-that is to say, with the narrow or sharp upper end 3, the rounded sides 4, and the bifurcated portions 5, which have rounded inner edges 6, terminating at the top in a triangular-shaped opening '7. The knit ribs on this gusset run from top to bottom. When applied to the garment, the gusset assumes the form shown in Figs. I, II, and Ill-that is to say, there is the large rear portion covering the seat and the rear part of the legs which bear upon the saddle and two rounded portions (shown particularly in Fig. I) which extend over onto the front part of the legs sufficiently far to take any wear of the saddle on the inside of the legs of the garment. The ribs will be seen in each part of the garment to be in line with the direction of the friction, and wear is thus prevented-that is to say, at rear they are vertical of the garment, and when on the wearer are thus in line with the fore-and-aft movement of the rider on the saddle, while on the part extending toward the front of the leg the ribs run diagonalwise, owing to their being bent over, and are still in line with the movement of the leg on the side of the saddle.

The opening 7 at the upper part of the crotch of the pattern is provided to give an accurate fitting of the gusset to the front of the crotch of the garment. It will be seen that on the part of the gusset which takes wear there is no seam to stretch and break and cause discomfort to the wearer. At front the gusset extends above the crotch sufficiently to prevent any seam at that part and so avoid'liability of parting of the garment and discomfort to the wearer here.

To further strengthen the garment and improve its looks and comfort in wear, I prefer to make the body, as before stated, in one piece, and on the womens garment this body portion has simply at top a hem to receive a tape. The garment is thus glove-fitting and completely adapts itself to the shape of the wearer.

In the mens garment shown in Figs. I and II, I provide, preferably, an opening for convenience at 8, which has suitable flaps and fastening devices. It will, however, be seen to be of such nature as not to impair the elasticity of the garment. A waistband is provided which is divided at the sides and supplied with button and buttonholes 9 or other fastening devices. Here, again, the form of waistband adopted does not impair the elasticity of the garment as do the stiff front flaps of ordinary mens drawers. The front half 10 of the waistband is unyielding, but I preferably inease in the rear half 11 of the waistband tapes 12, which may be sewed to the garment at their ends 13 by the same seams let, which attach the waistband and which pass through holes 15 in the waistband at the center of the garment at rear. These tapes can thus be used for adjusting the size of the waist to the wearer, and when so adjusted can be tied to maintain the waistband in the proper size.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A tightly-fitting net-her garment having the inner parts of the seat, legs, and crotch cut away and provided with a knitted gusset provided with vertically-arranged ribs and formed with an upwardly-extending back portion, and a downwardly-extending back and front bifurcated portion, having rounded edges; the gusset being inserted in the cutaway portion so as to bring its ribs in line with the garment at the back portion thereof, and its ribs diagonal to the garment at the front portion thereof, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of September, 1895.

AUGUSTUS IV. DUNNING.

\Vitnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, M. V. BIDGOOD. 

